• Plenty of legroom in the rear
• Ample headroom, even with the sunroof
• Sliding rear bench brings extra boot space

How much space is there?

There’s plenty of space in the back of the Renault Austral for two people, with lot of leg- and headroom. However, the cabin is slightly too narrow to seat three adults on the rear bench comfortably. The central tunnel is relatively small though, so the middle passenger won’t be as cramped as they would be in a SEAT Ateca.

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The Austral’s interior feels airy, thanks to generously proportioned side windows. Splash out on the range-topping Iconic Esprit Alpine model and you’ll also get a panoramic sunroof, which allows even more light to flood into the cabin. Unlike some of its rivals, the sunroof doesn’t rob too much headroom, either. Our six-foot tester could easily get comfortable underneath it.

Boot space and storage

The Renault Austral’s boot is average for the class. It measures 430 litres in standard guise, which is marginally larger than the Ford Kuga Hybrid’s but far smaller than the Kia Sportage and Toyota RAV4. However, the Austral has a party trick – a sliding rear bench.

With the bench pushed all the way forwards, boot space expands to 555 litres. However, that’s still 32 litres less than the Sportage Hybrid and 25 litres less than the RAV4 Hybrid. You pay a heavy penalty in passenger comfort to unlock that extra boot space, too. With the rear seats pushed all the way forwards, there’s hardly any space between the bench and the front seat backs.

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Oddment storage is good, though. The door bins are deep and have pockets for water bottles and the centre console has a hand rest that can slide forwards to reveal a deep cubby ideal for storing wallets and sunglasses. There’s a split-folding storage bin at the rear of the centre console, too.

Is it easy to park?

In Iconic Esprit Alpine guise, the Austral is quite possibly the easiest family SUV to park on sale today. The top trim features an unusual rear-wheel steering system that can reduce the car’s turning circle to just 10.1 metres. That’s less than a Renault Clio, which makes the Austral a doddle to pilot around tight multi storey car parks.

The top spec Austral also features a crystal clear 360-degree parking camera and all-round parking sensors. There’s a lot of glass surrounding the cabin, too, which helps with visibility when parking – although the rear pillars are quite obstructive, which means you need to rely more on the camera system when reversing. That could prove troublesome on lower-spec cars.

Safety

• Five-star Euro NCAP safety score
• Loads of driver assistance technology
• Semi-autonomous drive-mode

Renault prides itself on its safety record. Apart from the zero-star Zoe and the four-star Kangoo van, every passenger car the company sells today has achieved a five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP. The company also has an extensive roster of five-star cars stretching back to the early 2000s.

The Austral follows suit. When Euro NCAP crash tested the car in 2022, it achieved a full five stars, thanks in part to its extensive suite of safety equipment. Even the most basic Austral comes with autonomous emergency braking, traffic sign recognition, adaptive headlights, lane-keeping assist and a rear autonomous emergency braking system that can prevent you from reversing into obstacles when parking.

More expensive Australs build on this list with a semi-autonomous drive mode that can maintain the car’s speed and road position. All the driver needs to do is keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road – and be ready to regain control if the technology becomes overwhelmed.

We tried the system and found it to be very reliable. It can even assist with overtakes – simply indicate to overtake slower traffic on the motorway and the car will automatically accelerate and steer into the lane to the right of your target. Because the system also incorporates a blind spot monitoring system, it won’t steer out into quickly approaching traffic.

Renault got the Austral’s passive safety right, too. Euro NCAP’s testers were impressed with the strength of the car’s body shell and its ability to protect both its adult and child occupants. Front seat passengers even get an airbag that deploys between the front seats to prevent them from clashing heads in the event of a side impact.

Watch the Renault Austral Euro NCAP crash test